Achy Break Heart
by laurah2215
Summary: The Concannon's series-Story 32


Title: My Achy, Breaky Heart

Author: Laura H

Disclaimer: I own the sole rights to 'The West Wing', as I bought them from NBC and Warner Bros. Oh, sorry, I forgot to mention that I was crossing my fingers behind my back. :D

Rating: PG

Synopsis: CJ feels fortunate for her friends and family.

Author's Notes:

Story 1-I Loved Her First  
>Story2- Just Another Day in Paradise<br>Story 3: My Little Girl  
>Story 4:Chivalry Isn't Dead<br>Story 5:He's Just Sensitive  
>Story 6: The Hardest Conversation Ever<br>Story 7: Letting Go  
>Story 8: Getting Good at New Things<br>Story 9: Where We Need to Be  
>Story 10: Always Loved By Me You're Gonna Be<br>Story 11: Endings and Beginnings  
>Story 12: Proud of the House We Built<br>Story 13:Starting a Club  
>Story 14: First Pet<br>Story 15: Miscommunication  
>Story 16:The Go-Between<br>Story 17: The Third and Fourth Wheel  
>Story 18: You Can Let Go<br>Story 19: Make the World Go Away  
>Story 20: Invalid<br>Story 21: Hands on a Miracle  
>Story 22:And At the End and the Beginning Was You<br>Story 23: Reunions  
>Story 24: The Lord Giveth and the Lord Taketh Away<br>Story 25: Separation Anxiety  
>Story 26: Parental Discretion is Advised<br>Story 27-I Will Take Care of You  
>Story 28: Take Your Kids to Your Old Work Day<br>Story 29:When the World Stopped Turning  
>Story 30: It Won't Be Like This for Long<p>

Story 31: I'm Yours

Story 32: My Achy, Breaky Heart

Timeline:

October 2006-"I'm Yours"  
>Nov 2006- CJ and Danny finally see what they've been missing for<br>eight years. Story 19- Make the World Go Away

Jan 2007- Story 24- "The Lord Giveth and the Lord Taketh Away".CJ and Danny move to California together. CJ becomes President of the Hollis Foundation. Danny begins writing Josiah Bartlet's biography.

July 2007-CJ and Danny get married at the Bartlet farm and conceive Abigail during their honeymoon in Ireland.

August 2007:Story 13-"Starting a Club"

Sept 2007- Danny starts school to finish his doctorate

Nov 2007-Story 20 "Invalid"

January 2008- "Parental Discretion is Advised""

February 2008- Abigail is born  
>March 2008-Story 30-"It Won't Be Like This for Long"<p>

March 2009-Patrick is born.

August 2009:Story 25-"Separation Anxiety"

August 2010:Story 23-"Reunions"

January 2011: Story 5-He's Just Sensitive"

Sept 2013:Story 2-"Just Another Day in Paradise"

Nov 2013- February 2014: Story 3- "My Little Girl"  
>June 2014:"Take Your Kids to Your Old Work Day"<p>

May 2015: Story 14- "First Pet"

June 2020:Story 16-"The Go-Between"

June 2021: Story 4- "Chivalry Isn't Dead"

June 2021: Story 17: "The Third and Fourth Wheels"

April 2023: Story 29: "When the World Stopped Turning"

Jan 2025:Story 6-"The Hardest Conversation Ever"

March 2025: Story 7- "Letting Go

June 2029-Story 11 "Endings and Beginnings"

March 2030: Story 32-"My Achy, Breaky Heart"

May 2032: Story 1-Abigail's wedding- "I Loved Her First"

July 2032: Story 8- "Getting Good at New Things"

September 2032: Story 9-"Where We Need to Be"

January 2033: Story 10-"Always Loved By Me You're Gonna Be

July 2033: Story 12- "Proud of the House We Built"

September 2033: Story 15-"Miscommunication"

March 2044:-"You Can Let Go"

May 2045-"I Will Take Care of You."

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"Get up," Abbey instructs, ruffling her fiancé's unruly brown hair as he lays sprawled across the bed on his stomach. "I'm finished in the bathroom so you better get in and shower and shave."

"Ten more minutes," Noah grumbles the request into his pillow as Abbey pulls the curtains part-way across the window in their bedroom to let in some of the early morning March sunlight. Down on the ground, a thin layer of dusty snow covers the lawn.

Abbey pulls a light blue fleece sweater over her camisole and inspects herself in the full-length mirror on the back of the door. "No, you're not going to make us late for Con Law again. Get in the shower and I'll set out your 'Mini Wheats'."

Noah tosses aside the duvet and reaches blindly along the floor for his boxers. He slips them on and drags himself out of the bed and slowly pads across the room. The room is fairly small, with a bed, two dressers, over-sized armchair and television. Their various knick-knacks, photographs and personal items adorn the dressers, and they've placed a few select posters on the white walls.

Noah wraps his arms around Abbey's waist before kissing the top of her hair, which is pulled back into a loose pony-tail. "Good morning. I love you."

With a little sigh, Abbey turns around to offer Noah a chaste kiss on the lips, realizing she could have woken him up more nicely. "I love you, too. But I'll love you more if we can get out the door in the next twenty-five minutes. I don't want to miss the nine o'clock shuttle again."

Noah steals another little kiss. "All right, I'll get in the shower." He leaves Abbey to finish getting ready in the bedroom and crosses the tiny hallway to the bathroom. He and Abbey had moved into the small, single apartment in New Haven last August before they started at Yale Law School. It's the first time they had ever lived together, and so far their lifestyles had been meshing nicely. Aside from the fact that Noah preferred to stay up later and study and Abbey was always awake at the crack of dawn, their habits had proved conducive for cohabitating smoothly. They had the same school schedule (mostly all first year law students have similar schedules) and even arranged to teach the classes they were teach-assisting for on the same afternoon so they could commute to and from school together every day. They had a group of mutual friends from class that they liked to socialize with on the weekends, but had also reached out and made individual, independent friendships so they would spend some time apart. They spent their evenings pouring over their textbooks together and helped enhance each other's natural academic strengths. The shared in daily responsibilities like cooking and cleaning equitably. Yes, it seemed like everything was going in the right direction in the last few months, even if they both were under enormous pressure and stressed most of the time.

Abbey finishes sweeping a dab of foundation over her face with a brush, applies a thin layer of mascara over her eyelashes and goes into the kitchen to make breakfast. The apartment is old so they don't benefit from expansive countertops or new appliances, but Abbey doesn't mind living the life of a frugal student. Their tiny little space of freedom is all she needs. Abbey walks into the open-concept living room and over to her small computer desk to boot up her laptop so she can check her e-mail. The living room is where she and Noah spend most of their time, as they have turned one wall of the room into their study area(with their two desks, chairs and a bookcase) and the rest of the area is reserved for recreation (two couches, a coffee table, entertainment unit and television).

Abbey retraces her steps into the kitchen. She toasts two pieces of bread for herself and pours two glasses of orange juice, one which she drinks and one that she sets on the small kitchen table next to a bowl of Noah's favourite cereal. She sits down at the table and munches on her twelve grain bread. She's about to pick up the newspaper and pour through the weekly flyers for grocery deals when her cellphone buzzes on the kitchen table. Call display alerts her that it's her mother calling from her own mobile phone.

"Hey, Mom. What are you doing up already?" Abbey knows that it's only five-thirty in Santa Monica and her parents are never up that early for work.

CJ's sigh can be heard across the line. "Hey, sweetie. I'm sorry to interrupt your morning like this, but I figured I better call."

"It's all right. What's up?" Abbey wants to know as she takes her plate and glass to the sink to rinse.

"Well, I'm at the hospital. Your father…your father woke up a couple hours ago with chest pain so we rushed him to the hospital," CJ relays with a tremble in her tone. She doesn't want to frighten her daughter, but she knows she needs to inform her of what's been going on.

"Oh, my God. Is he all right?" Abbey snaps in surprise. She's stunned. Her father has always been perfectly healthy. In fact, he is much healthier than he should be for his age. Abbey always knew her parents were older than most of the parents of her peers, but she never considered their ages a 'big deal' because they were just as active and productive as people twenty years younger. Danny and CJ's ages had never limited their ability to raise their children, so Abbey and Pat had never felt short-changed by having older parents.

"Well, not exactly. He had a minor heart attack. They did a primary angioplasty and found some blocked arteries. They're going to do a bypass shortly. The doctors have assured me that the procedure is routine and he should come out of surgery feeling a lot better. But, apparently this has been a long time coming and he's going to have some damage. It looks like we'll have to treat this extensively in the future."

Abbey has to sit down again on one of the chairs at the kitchen table, suddenly feeling light-headed. "Oh, my God. He's had something wrong with his heart and we had no idea?"

"Apparently. This was never picked up in a routine physical. His cholesterol has always been normal and his weight has been relatively healthy. We never had a reason to suspect anything was wrong," CJ replies solemnly. She's been berating herself all night for not picking up any signs earlier. She wonders if Danny had been overly stressed at work, but in the last two years he had been reducing the number of classes he teaches at U.C.L.A.

"Mom, he's gonna be okay, right?" Abbey asks tentatively, a tiny tear cascading down her cheek.

"Oh, honey, I'm sure he will. The doctors seem confident that he'll recover." CJ wants to remain positive for her daughter. Even though Abbey is twenty-two, far from a child in need of protection, she still wants to shield her from the terrible things in life. She knows Abbey's busy enough with school and being a teaching assistant, and doesn't want to add any additional stress to her life.

"Okay," Abbey whispers with a sniffle. "Do you have someone there with you? You might need someone to take notes or remember what the doctors say or go to the cafeteria and get you coffee or go home and get…"

CJ stops her daughter with a little laugh. "I'm fine, sweetheart. Pat's here and Josh and Donna just got here after Pat called them."

"Okay, good," Abbey states in relief. She's glad her mother doesn't have to deal with this alone. "Look, I'm just gonna talk to Noah and see about getting a plane out of here as soon as I can…"

"No, honey. That's not necessary. We're fine here. I know you need to go to class today. I don't want you to feel like you have to come here." CJ doesn't want her daughter to feel obligated to fly all the way to California, but a part of her does wish Abbey was with them. She wants her entire family reunited to help get Danny through the storm.

Abbey shakes her head and touches her index finger to her temple. "Nonsense. Noah and I were coming home on the weekend anyway for our week-long break. I'll just fly out a few days early. I can get his notes later."

"You really don't have to do that," CJ tells her seriously.

Abbey immediately protests. "I want to. I won't be able to concentrate while Dad's getting his chest cut open. Just let me figure out the logistics and I'll call you back, all right?"

"All right, if you're sure. But everyone will understand if you can't make it." CJ knows Danny would understand it if Abbey couldn't make it home to visit him in the hospital. He's so proud of her and she knows that he will feel very guilty if she abandons her schoolwork to be at his bedside.

"No, I'm flying to California today. I'll give you a call as soon as I work out the details," Abbey promises.

"Okay, but if you can't get me on my phone it's because I'm in the surgical area and have to turn the phone off. You can try your brother or Donna," CJ informs her.

"Okay, I will. Hey, Mom…Can you tell Daddy I love him and I want to be there as soon as humanly possible?" Abbey's throat constricts as more tears slide down her cheek.

CJ forces back a sob. She's been so upset and frazzled since she woke up to find Danny struggling. "I will, honey. And he loves you, too. He's so proud of you for being at Yale and he wouldn't begrudge you for not being here."

"I know. But I want to be there for him, and for you. We should all be together right now." Abbey suddenly feels incredibly guilty, and not just for not being near by when this happened. She feels guilty that she's been living this blissful life with Noah at school while her father's heart has been in trouble.

"Yes, we should," CJ admits sadly." Okay, I see the cardiologist coming to talk to me. I've got to go. I'll talk to you later."

"All right. I love you. Bye," Abbey whispers as she ends the call. Abbey has to pause and collect her thoughts. She can't seem to move from her chair, her grief immobilizing her.

Noah emerges from the hallway with a towel tied across his waist and water dripping from his curly brown hair. He had heard Abbey talking on the phone after he stepped out of the shower and had wanted to know with whom she was talking to so early in the morning. He finds her staring absently at the kitchen table with water streaks down her face. He deduces immediately that something bad has happened. "What's wrong?" Noah perches on the chair beside Abbey's and lays a hand on her shoulder.

Abbey turns her body and buries her face in Noah's neck, her arms clinging to Noah's broad shoulders. "My dad's in the hospital. He had a heart attack earlier."

"Oh, no. Abbey, I'm so sorry. Is he all right?" Noah gently grasps Abbey's back and draws her in even closer.

"I don't know. They're doing a bypass surgery. Mom thought he was going to recover all right, but I don't know." Abbey breathes in the familiar scent of Noah's body wash off his neck.

Noah places a soothing kiss to Abbey's temple. "Okay. Just stay calm. I'm sure your dad is going to be fine. I'm going to go online and see if I can get our plane tickets for Saturday morning switched to this morning."

"What? No, you can't do that," Abbey protests, pulling back.

Noah's brows furrow in confusion. "I thought you would want to go see him?"

"I do. But you can't come. You have to stay here and go to class so you can fill me in later," Abbey tells him.

Noah shakes his head firmly. "No way. I'm coming home with you. I want to be there for you and the family. We can get notes from our friends. Don't worry about school right now."

"I don't know…" Abbey mutters, clearly conflicted. She wants Noah with her, but she's concerned about missing a couple days of classes.

Noah gives Abbey's hand a squeeze before standing up, effectively entering crisis-management mode. Abbey needs him to take over and make sure they get to Santa Monica because that's where they need to be. "Okay, you just sit here and relax for a bit. I'm going to see about getting us on an airplane today and then start putting together a suitcase."

With a nod, Abbey accepts Noah's assistance. She's not in the right mind-set to be taking command and figuring everything out. Thankfully, she has a wonderful fiancé who can be the strong and decisive one.

Noah secures their carry-on bags beneath the seats in front of them as Abbey buckles herself into the seat with the window-view.

"Okay, just hurry up and get us there," Abbey whispers in the direction of the window, willing the airplane's pilot to fly as fast as safely possible.

Taking his own seat, Noah reaches for Abbey's left hand and squeezes gently. He knows how much Abbey hates flying, and with her nerves already jumbled, she's fidgeting nervously. "It's gonna be fine. We'll be landing in less than five hours. Take a deep breath."

Noah had packed some of their textbooks in case they found time during the break to do their reading, but he imagines that they won't be able to focus on their studies in the next few days. He had scrambled to make arrangements with the airport, he had hurriedly packed their bags (Abbey taking over packing her own suitcase when she discovered Noah was selecting mis-matching outfits) and ordered a taxi to take them to the airport. Abbey had checked in with CJ who informed them that Danny was getting prepared for surgery. He was stable and alert and even trying to crack jokes. Noah spoke with his parents who assured him they were doing everything they could for CJ and Danny. They had gathered a duffle bag for CJ from her house with some comfortable clothes and toiletries, made sure she ate some breakfast and sat with her and took notes when she met with the doctors, so she wouldn't miss any important details because she was upset. All in all, everyone was managing and doing everything they could to be supportive in Danny's time of need.

Looking out over the wing of the plane onto the tarmac below, Abbey sends out a silent prayer that God guide the surgeon's hands and get her father out of surgery safely. She's not even close to being ready to live her life without her father. She might be living independently now with her fiancé, but in so many ways she is still a young girl who very much depends on her father's love and guidance.

"Hey, Fish-boy. You're looking pretty hot," CJ remarks with a forced smile as she steps into the recovery room to visit Danny after his surgery. She tries not to let the tubes and wires weaving in and out of Danny's face and body intimidate her. The doctors assured her the surgery went smoothly and Danny would recover as expected. But as Danny painfully pries his eyes open and attempts a lop-sided smile, CJ has to choke back yet another sob. She had never seen him like this. This has been one of the scariest days of her life since Abbey was sick all those years ago. Danny had always been the epitome of silent strength, and she took it for granted that the two of them seemed to be in such good shape for their sixties. Now, she can't help but be directly reminded of her husband's mortality. But, she reminds herself that it will do him no good for her to blubber and act upset. He needs to draw strength from her right now. So, she sits on the plastic chair a nurse had placed beside his bed.

"Do I… have an… artificial…heart…like a …bionic…man…now?" Danny huffs the joke with strained breaths.

CJ smiles and lays her hand tentatively over Danny's cold fingers. "Oh, yeah. You're like a brand new man, stronger than ever. I think I'm going to feel like I'm cheating on my husband when I jump your bones." Danny had been responding well to jokes throughout the day, so she's trying to maintain her sense of humour so Danny doesn't worry as much.

Danny smiles despite the throbbing pain. Humour has been getting him through the horrible day. Earlier, Josh had been keeping him distracted with amusing anecdotes. "Really…how did…it go?"

With a sigh, CJ appraises her husband critically. "It went as well as they planned. You're gonna live to be a hundred and thirty."

"Mmm...good. Another… ninety-seven… years," Danny teases through laboured breaths.

"But we're gonna have to manage this," CJ informs him softly, with no teasing lilt. "The doctors told me a little about what to expect. We'll be seeing cardiologists on a regular basis, you're going to need medication for the rest of your life, and your diet will have to completely change. Well, our diet. No more steak and burgers. We're having fish and turkey from now on. And you're going to have to completely give up cigarettes. And before you protest…I know it's not a bad habit. I know you only do it on occasion. But, Danny, that's it, they're gone. Because every single one of them is making your heart worse and taking time off our life together. And God, Danny…" CJ averts her eyes as tears pool again. "I'm no where near ready to lose you.

"Good…cause… you're not…getting rid…of me…that easy," Danny replies slowly, each word hurting him more than the last.

"You have to promise me you'll do whatever the doctors say," CJ pleads, her eyes boring into Danny's. She has to somehow convey how important it is to her that they get him healthy again.

"I promise," Danny assures her. " I wanna see…my little girl…get married…and have…kids," he admits slowly. "I'm gonna…walk her...down…the aisle…"

"I know you will," CJ agrees whole-heartedly.

"Did…did she get…here…yet?" Danny inquires, scanning the room for any sign of his daughter. He had told CJ to make sure Abbey understood that she didn't need to rush home. He didn't want Abbey to leave school to fuss over him. He was so proud of her and knew she needed to be in Connecticut. But even as he asked CJ to not pressure Abbey to fly home, he had secretly wished she would come. No, he didn't want his only daughter to see him so lifeless and sick. He had hoped she would never have to see him so vulnerable. But, he did want to see his daughter, despite his desire to shield her from his pain.

"Their plane is due to land at four," CJ informs him, smoothing a stray piece of his grey hair. "She's trying to get here as fast as she can."

Danny nods mutely, closing his eyes. He's so exhausted. The anesthetic hasn't worn off completely. The doctors will be keeping him lightly sedated so he isn't bothered by the oxygen tubes and doesn't feel as much pain.

"Okay, why don't you stay here and rest for a few minutes and I'll go get Pat? He's been anxious to see you." CJ bends over and kisses Danny's clammy forehead. She lets her lips linger around his temple, deliberately feeling for the pulse that convinces her that her husband's heart is still beating. Everything is going to be all right. It just has to be.

Danny wants to reach up and kiss his wife properly, but he's too tired to move a muscle. He decides to relax until his son comes to visit him. He had been very impressed with the way Pat had stepped up today. Danny had asked Pat to look out for his mother, but the young man was already trying to be as helpful as possible. He had made all the calls CJ didn't want to make herself, he had ran to the cafeteria to keep her in constant caffeine, and he had sat with her and offered his shoulder when she needed nothing more than to sit quietly and calm herself down. Yes, Danny was incredibly proud of the way his son was growing up.

"Mom!" Abbey shouts across the lobby waiting room as she runs to greet her mother, Noah and Josh in toe. Josh had volunteered to pick the kids up at the Los Angeles airport and take them straight to the hospital.

"Oh, honey. I'm so glad to see you," CJ gushes, drawing her grown daughter into a hug.

"How are you? How's Dad?" Abbey inquires rapidly as Noah offers his soon-to-be mother-in-law a hug. Abbey notices the heavy bags under her mother's blood-shot eyes and realizes just what a day this had been for everyone. She's never seen her mother so disheveled.

CJ wraps an arm around Abbey's bulky winter coat (she had forgotten the kids would come home in their East Coast seasonal clothes) and directs her down the hall to Danny's private room. "He's resting comfortably in a room now. They took him out of the recovery room about a half an hour ago. He'll be so happy to see you." She pauses outside of the doorway and lowers her voice. " Sweetie, I have to warn you…He doesn't look good. He just had major surgery. You've never seen him like this before. He's very pale and he's hooked up to supplemental oxygen. It's difficult for him to talk."

Abbey bobs her head, a little frightened. "Okay. I don't care. I just need to see him."

"Daddy?" Abbey whispers quietly as she pads softly into the room. She gets a glimpse of the pale, fragile figure lying lifelessly on the bed and has to catch her breath. Her mother hadn't been lying. She's never seen her father look so vulnerable and helpless, and it shakes her to the core. She feels Noah's hand steady her shoulder and she sucks in a big gulp of air, physically bracing herself.

Danny's heavy eyes flicker open and he can make out his daughter's figure approaching the bed. "Hey, baby. I'm…I'm sorry…you had to…leave school. You didn't…have to...come."

Abbey forces herself to smile and put on a brave face as she takes a seat on a chair to the left side of the bed. "You didn't want to see me?"

"Ha…given the…circum…stances," Danny chuckles before realizing he took on too much by laughing. He takes several deep inhales before he can find his voice again. "I'm glad…you're here."

Abbey reaches out to lay a hand over her father's veiny hand with the I.V tubes attached. She leans over to kiss his cheek, reveling in the knowledge that at least he's on his way to getting better. At least they had had enough warning and got him to the hospital so the heart attack didn't kill him. "I wished I could have been earlier. Noah did everything he could to get us on the first plane out of Connecticut."

"You…took care…of…her?" Danny looks up at Noah to confirm, but already knows the answer. He imagines Noah was very supportive if Abbey had been upset by the news.

Abbey smiles back at her fiancé. "Yeah, Noah insisted we forget about school for a while. He got us on a plane and here in one piece. I was a little upset, so he took the lead." Abbey adjusts her seating and appraises the various machines attached to her father's body. "How are you feeling?"

"Like…I want...a. cheese…burger," Danny teases. He doesn't want Abbey to worry about him, so he tries to lighten the mood and downplay how he's really feeling. "Will you…bust…me out...of…here?"

Abbey smiles at her father's lame attempt at humour. " Sure. We'll make a quick get-a-way. But seriously, I think you're going to have to reassess your diet. I don't think they like heart-attack patients to be indulging in red meat. But I'd be happy to get you something to eat that the doctors approve of."

Danny closes his eyes and shakes his head. "Nah. I was…just…kidding."

Abbey feels for her father's pulse in his wrist, wanting to draw silent strength from the steady beating. She has to know her hero will be okay. "Daddy, you're going to have to take care of yourself. I need you to promise that you'll listen to the doctors and do whatever they recommend."

Danny can't help but roll his eyes. "You're…just like…your mother…"

Abbey frowns sadly. "That's because we both still need you. I need you to give me away at my wedding, and give me that annoying but oh-so wise advice, and spoil my children and…"

"What are…you trying...to tell…me?" Danny asks with an accusing look at Noah.

"No, no." Noah shakes his head adamantly, his eyes dilating.

Abbey laughs out loud when she realizes what her father assumed. "No, Daddy. I'm not having a baby now. I meant in the future. I want you to be around for all that stuff."

"I…will…be," Danny reassures her with so much emotion he can barely stifle a sob. He simply has to fight hard so he can witness all of that and everything else in the glorious future.

Taking in a sharp inhale, Abbey decides to switch focus. "Okay. I think I'm gonna go back into the hall and talk to Mom and some of the doctors. You look like you need to rest. I'll come back a little later." Abbey stands up and bends over to peck Danny's cheek. " You feel better soon. I love you, Daddy."

"I love…you…too…princess," Danny mutters, the morphine taking effect and fogging his thoughts.

"So, what else will you have to do?" Abbey inquires. She and CJ are having ham sandwiches from the cafeteria after the men went down and procured dinner.

CJ is finally relaxing after the exhausting day. Everything had went well and she has her children and extended family with her. "Well, diet and exercise is an important factor. But, he'll have to be on medication and probably reduce his work-load a lot. He'll have to have someone take over his classes for the semester and I'm going to try to convince him to retire. Abbey Bartlet's referring us to a terrific cardiologist out of Los Angeles, so he'll be in good hands."

Abbey stares off into the distance where she can spot her cardio-thoracic surgeon of a namesake in heavy conversation with two men and a woman in white frocks. Even though Dr. Bartlet is in her seventies and is no longer licensed to practice medicine, her mind is still as sharp as ever and she never ceases to rush wherever she's needed by family. She's been desiring to be near family since the former President succumbed to complications due to M.S. Abbey Cregg-Concannon is glad her surrogate grandmother had arrived to supervise Danny's after-care, if not because she knows her father will be in competent hands, but because Abbey Bartlet is a tremendous support system for her mother. CJ had been markedly more relaxed since Dr. Bartlet joined them an hour ago. "I'm glad she's here. It makes me feel like Daddy's really gonna be okay."

CJ nods with her own sigh of relief. "Yeah, me too."

The rest of the group settles around them in the lobby area, Noah sitting on the other side of Abbey. Josh and Donna sit across from them, Donna passing out bottles of water. Danny's sister, Megan, and her husband, Brad, are sitting next to Pat. Alexia has joined the group and sits quietly at Pat's side. Her father, Reverend Ted Richter, had come to the hospital and prayed with CJ during Danny's surgery. CJ is grateful to have such a wonderful array of people who would do anything for her and Danny. She knows now what true friendship is all about.

Donna hands Abbey a bottle of water and gives her hand a gentle squeeze. "Honey, you can stay at our place tonight with Noah. I'm gonna stay here and keep your mom company."

"Oh, thanks," Abbey replies awkwardly. Ever since the kids got engaged last June, the dynamic between the young adults and their parents had to change. Even though they all knew Noah and Abbey had shared a bed whenever they visited each other at college, they didn't permit them to sleep over when they came home to Santa Monica. But after Noah proposed last summer, they agreed that they'd probably have to change the tradition. And once they moved in together in New Haven, the parents realized it was futile to make them sleep apart whenever they came home to California. Ideally, they would have preferred the children wait until marriage to live and sleep together, but they all (even Danny) realized that was impractical. Over the Christmas break they had alternated spending nights between the two houses so both sets of parents would feel like they were spending enough quality time to visit. " But actually, I kinda want to stay here with Mom tonight."

CJ rolls her eyes dramatically. "No. No one is staying here. The staff are going to put a nice little cot in Danny's room for me and I'll be fine."

"But, Mom, I want to stay with you. I want to check on Dad…"Abbey begins in protest.

CJ shakes her head. "No, it's okay. Go back with Noah and get some sleep. You had a long flight."

"I don't mind staying here tonight," Pat offers, biting into an apple. He promised his father that he would look after his mother. Danny had a feeling CJ would need help coping with the new changes.

CJ can't help but laugh. She is indeed very loved. "No. Look, I appreciate all of you being here today. It was an excruciating day and I couldn't have gotten through it without you. But, tonight I just want to be alone with Danny and get some sleep." CJ wants nothing more than to crawl into the cot and fall asleep listening to the steady rhythm of the monitors assuring her that her husband's heart is functioning. "Danny's stable and it should be a calm night. So, please, please go back to your homes and take a well-deserved rest. Tonight, I don't need anyone else."

"All right, fine," Donna concedes with an unsure expression. She wants to do whatever she can to be a good friend right now. "But promise you'll call one of us if anything changes overnight."

"I'll keep you updated," CJ offers to her friend. "Now. I'm famished. Who had the yogurt parfait things?"

"Okay. I've got your reading glasses here if for some reason you need them. I've got your water here on the tray in case your throat gets dry. Now, Dr. Frankfurt left but the night doctor, Dr. Aymis, is going to check on you through the night. Abbey Bartlet seems to think he's fully qualified. I sent her home with Pat, who said he would make up the guest suite with fresh linen. She's going to come back tomorrow and work out some more treatment options with Dr. Frankfurt and her friend, Juan Sanchez, who's the cardiologist who's going to take you on once you're released from the hospital. " CJ rambles as she pulls a worn sweatshirt over her pajama top, preparing to settle in for the night in Danny's hospital room. She had spent the last half an hour reading aloud to Danny from the _Los Angeles Times_. Earlier, she had called Danny's school and arranged for another professor to take on Danny's course load for the remainder of the semester, promising the dean that when Danny was feeling better he would call to discuss long-term employment prospects. She had Donna notify Frank Hollis that she would be taking a sabbatical from the foundation until further notice. CJ is committed to becoming Danny's full-time care-giver for the immediate future. "Now, I'm just going to lie down here on the cot and shut my eyes for a while. But, if you need anything in the night just call for me. If you're sore or anything I'm only a foot away." CJ bends over Danny's head and runs a hand across his scruffy beard. "Do you need anything else before I turn in?"

"Mmm…"Danny mumbles, his lips quirking into a tiny smile. "Yes."

"What?" CJ's eyes widen, suddenly worrying Danny's in more pain or having difficulty breathing. "Is it the chest pain? Should I get the nurse to give you more morphine?"

Danny, with a great deal of effort, lifts his hand an inch off the bed and motions with his index finger for CJ to come closer.

CJ leans forward so her face is almost brushing his and stares worriedly into his crystal blue eyes. Then he presses his lips to hers in the faintest of kisses. "I…love you."

CJ almost cries out in relief. With a low moan, she closes her eyes and rests her lips against his again in a wide smile. Everything is going to be all right. For a while there, she wondered if the love of her life would ever kiss her again." I love you. I love you more than I'm capable of ever expressing. Danny, we've created a wonderful little life for ourselves. We're so fortunate to have our friends and family."

"That's…true," Danny drawls, wishing he had the strength to run his hand through her graying bob of hair." They're great. But…I'm…gonna get…better…again…and we'll…get to do…all of…the things…we like to...do together. I'm gonna…take you...to the...pier and…buy you…lobster…dinner…and…go dancing. And then…I'll…take you…home and…show you…how lucky…I am to…have you."

CJ smiles down lovingly at Danny, running a hand affectionately through his loose curls. "That sounds perfect. But we'll have to get your strength up again. So, in the mean time, save your voice, ration your energy and let me take care of you."

"Kay. Sweet dreams…darlin'…"Danny whispers hoarsely, touching his lips to his wife's once more. He had had quite the scare today, but he's glad he's still got a lot of prime years left in him. He knows it will be difficult for him to depend on CJ to aid in his recovery, but he's secure in their love and knows he would, without hesitation, take on the same role if their positions were reversed and she was the one in need of assistance. He's resolved to not let stubborn pride interfere with their progress.

"Goodnight, sweetheart. I love you. Have a good rest, and don't hesitate to wake me if you need anything." CJ gently squeezes Danny's fingers and retreats backwards to her make-shift bed.

CJ crawls under the covers and tries to get comfortable. She closes her eyes and listens for the patterned sounds coming from the various machines hooked-up to Danny's chest. She lets her mind relax after the long day, knowing that she doesn't have to worry about Danny tonight because the hospital staff would be constantly monitoring Danny's vitals. Basked in the warmth of the love of her extended family, and adoring husband, CJ slowly succumbs to slumber.


End file.
